Friday, 26 May 2017

Home Improvements That Pay For Themselves

We’d all like to spruce up the house every once in a while, but we’re often held back by the lack of funds available. Since home improvements are, more often than not, a vanity project, the ideas are often discarded and the money is spent on holidays or necessities. However, there is a way to justify getting some work done on the house this summer. Believe it or not, there are some renovations that pay for themselves.

We all know that going green can cut your energy bills, but up until now you’ve only switched your energy provider, upgraded to energy efficient lightbulbs, and started turning off your appliances. You need to think bigger. Around 25 percent of the heat lost in an uninsulated house literally goes through the roof, so why not look into insulating your attic and roof. Effective insulation will slow the rate that heat escapes from your house in winter, and will also slow the rate that heat gets into your house during the summer. In short; it will keep your house at the optimum temperature. You may also find that you don’t need to turn up your thermostat as much to compensate for the escaped heat. Add new insulation along your walls, your ceiling, and your attic wall for maximum efficiency.

Upgrade your boiler

Older boilers are one of the worst offenders when it comes to wasted energy. It probably wastes about 35 percent of the fuel it uses, it’s often unreliable, and it’s most likely reaching the end of its life. Simply put; it’s an ineffective, financial black hole and you need a new one immediately. It might seem expensive initially, but you can get a boiler finance quote from a professional installer, and spread the cost over a period that suits you. In the long run, you will save money on your heat and water bill, so the price won’t seem too steep if you think of it in those terms.

New refrigerator

Every few years you find that your furniture has exceeded its warranty so you go shopping for a replacement. However, a fridge is an overlooked item in this category, perhaps because it always looks like it’s working just fine so it’s deemed an unnecessary expense. But refrigerator technology has made dramatic strides since the 1970s. Nowadays, new appliances are more energy efficient than their predecessors, so you’re actually wasting more money by not buying a new fridge.

Solar panels can save you a lot of money in the long run because they help your house generate its own electricity. Additionally, due to the higher demand, the technology has been improved considerably since it was first made available. Even if you don’t live in an area with high levels of sun, solar panels can still significantly cut your energy bills. Not only will they save you money on heat and electricity, but they earn you a discount on your property tax. You can hire professionals to fit them for you, but you can also save a bit of extra money by doing them yourself.

Adding an extra bedroom

Adding bedrooms can increase the value of your property, which is useful if you’re open to selling your house one day. However, you don’t have to go crazy deciding which room to divide. Converting your loft into a habitable bedroom might not be as expensive as you think. In London, loft conversions usually cost up to £40,000, although throughout the UK the average seems to be around the £20,000-£30,000 mark, and you can save even more by doing some of the work yourself. Even if you don’t plan to sell your house anytime soon, you could still pay off the renovations by taking on a lodger.

Double glazed windows

Heat also escapes through the cracks in old windows. If your windows are old, leaky, and obviously made of wood, then you’re probably spending a lot of money heating the outside of your house and it’s past time to upgrade to something more efficient. Double pane windows and other vinyl frames are much better than single pane windows and aluminium frames. Upgrading doesn’t have to cost much either, as there are plenty of installation companies willing to give you a good quote. Spread the cost of double glazing, and you can pay it off with the money you save on energy bills. Your neighbours will also thank you as this can reduce the noise that escapes outside.

Hello

I’m Kelly, mama to Ethan (5) and bump (due December), wife to Ste and we live in Birmingham with our dog, two cats and two rabbits. You could say that life is pretty busy in our house… and it’s about to get busier!

TBM is a UK based family and lifestyle blog and vlog about my life, loves & adventures in motherhood, established since 2012. Here, I share my take on pregnancy, parenting, style, beauty, interiors, food and days out, and my mission to put the 'me' into mummy. Grab a cuppa and have a look around…